A Lovely Engagement
by Lailana
Summary: Amongst others, Lucius Malfoy has become victim of the newest law of the Ministry, the Marriage Law. A foreign witch has become his bride. At least she's not a Muggleborn.
1. Hidden

Kingsley sighed as he looked out of the windows of the office he was hiding in. Below him were hundreds of witches and wizards milling about their business as they entered or left the Ministry. The head of the Maintenance Department had let him hide there in exchange for Quidditch tickets. To him right now, that was a small price to pay to ensure his safety. As due to the latest law that the Ministry had passed, he was sure that even the Aurors assigned to protect him would gladly step aside to let a mob skin him alive.

The head assured him that no one would find him there as he waited for the public to get over the shock. Because a) rarely anyone ever knew about the rooms that the Maintenance Department used and b) said rooms were hidden away behind the walls of the Atrium, with windows charmed to look like the walls surrounding them. Unlike the Department of Mysteries where their rooms were hidden to hide and secure anything the public was not meant to see, this department had nothing of relevance to visitors.

It's not like that blasted Marriage Law was his idea to begin with. The whole Wizengamot agreed on it and even the Unspeakables that usually never went out of their lair in Level 9, had sent some of their own to voice in their agreement. Not that what those divinatory buffoons said was relevant in general, but seeing as they were to play the crucial role in matching up all those unmarried wizards and witches, the Chief Warlock let them gang up on him as well.

But of course THEY were all able to carry on like if nothing had happened, because no one ever went after those that hid themselves amongst the bureaucracy. No, HIS name was signed on the law so therefore HE was the sole perpetrator in the public's eyes. Skeeter was having a field day dragging his name through the mud. As far as her readership was concerned, Kingsley had terrible plans for the Wizarding World and the Wizengamot was powerless to stop him. Not the other way around.

Still gazing at the crowd below and losing himself in his thoughts, he did not notice the sound of the door gently opening. The witch noticed his lack of a reaction so she took care to close the door with a loud thud announcing her presence. Like a scared rabbit he tensed but did not otherwise move, waiting for the intruder to speak. Her heels clacked against the hardwood floor as she approached the desk and made herself comfortable in the seat designated for guests.

„Minister, are you quite done with your game of hide and seek?" Her english was fluent but had the tell-tale inflection of a foreigner. He sighed, accepting defeat.

„May I know who found me?" He asked, turning around to face the witch. She smiled when he sat down.

„You may already know my father." She replied, placing an envelope on the desk. In curiosity he reached for it, but then he saw the wax seal. Red with a crowned eagle pressed on to it, the polish coat of arms. He glanced back at the intruder. Though he had never met her before, the woman in front of him was the main reason for his troubles.

_Flashback:_

_At the last conference the International Confederation of Wizards (ICW) held, he had had to attend it to announce the marriage law. Not that it would have been relevant in the grand scope of international relations. But due to the wording of the law, it also applied to witches and wizards born abroad that had been presently residing in United Kingdom.  
><em>

_The way each nation reacted, depended on it's laws regarding their citizens overseas. As apart from laws concerning trade and the statute of secrecy, the wizarding governments were left to determine their individual stances on the rest. The confederation was after all, mostly a diplomatical institution rather than one superior to all governments. Unfortunately for Kingsley, most held little legislature to be able to save their brethren from the law, so the room was mostly filled with outrage. In the end, the Supreme Mugwump had to silence them all before they could procede in determining the fates of the witches and wizards affected._

_Those representing the nations whose magical folk were still under their legislature, regardless of where they resided, left soon after. After ascertaining with Kingsley that the law did not affect them, they had no reason to stay. It still left another 890 angry witches and wizards from 178 nations. Sensing the chaos, the Mugwump had the meeting adjourned under the pretense that the officials needed to consult their respective governments on the matter._

_No such second meeting happened though, the 178 governments opting to individually contact the International Magical Office of Law instead. Almost all managed to come to an agreement. Almost.  
><em>

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><p><strong><em>AN: Hello everyone! I am back with rewriting this lovely tale. I hope it was somewhat clear that each nation has 5 seats. Ergo 178 * 5 = 890. My previous version of this tale shall be chopped up to fit in here. I'll leave up the old chapters for now so hopefully you guys can see some improvement!  
><em>**


	2. Old Story

The next chapters show the old version of this story. This page is just to mark a separation so you guys don't get confused. Happy reading!

-Lailana


	3. Old Chapter 1

_Lucius Malfoy_

_Date and Place of Birth: 12th September 1957 (Age 44), St Mungos Hospital, London_

_Current Place of Stay : Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire _

_Special Protection, if any: Fidelius Charm placed on place of stay, Secret Keeper: Unspeakable Number 10342XYA_

_Occupation: CEO of Malfoy Industries_

_Perfect Match: **HRH, ANNA ISKRA MIROWSKA **_

* * *

><p><em>Anna Mirowska<em>

_Date and Place of Birth: 7th October 1974 (Age 27), Magical Health Institute of Poland, Warsaw_

_Current Place of Stay: Rosemary Alley 167, London  
><em>

_Special Protection, if any: - Locating Charms under the control of the Polish Department of Mysteries_

_- First Class Protection Spell, regularly updated by Unspeakable Number 10832PTS, Supervision: The Royal Undersecretary  
><em>

_Occupation: Lawyer at Zabini Inc._

_Perfect Match: **LUCIUS ABRAXAS MALFOY**_

* * *

><p>It was a fine December Morning where each witch and wizard in the British Isles ended up doing one or more of the following actions. Fainting, writing a howler, flooing their relatives and friends, ripping their Prophet to shreds or just drowning in despair after they each read the news of the newest law that has been created by the Ministry.<p>

**_MARRIAGE LAW ENACTED!_**

**_The Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, has enacted as of today a Marriage Law that forces all single witches and wizards with a working permission on the territory of the British Isles in between the ages 17 to 45 to marry the witch or wizard that is assigned to them, the only exception are engagements that have been registered into the Ministry and plan to marry over the next year._**

**_ Letters with all regulations and instructions shall be issued to all Wizards and Witches concerned over the following days, apparently due to the reduced amount of children that will be able to attend Hogwarts over the next few decades due to the heavy losses of the War, the Minister has decided that a Marriage Law was a radical but needed choice should the British Wizarding Community want to survive, this law has been agreed upon all Wizengamot members unanimously to ensure that the population of the Wizarding Community may be just as large as it had been before the losses of the Wars._**


	4. Old Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The following morning an army of owls left the ministry, even muggles noticed a mysterious swarm of black, brown, grey and white rising from the capital and spreading in all four directions. A little part though, remained but quickly split in groups that then split again when reaching their respective neighborhoods.

One of these owls, a white eagle owl, found its destination to be very close to its home. Not even a half hour passed before the little creature dropped the envelope it held into a currently inactive chimney and flew off home. Said envelope, landed directly in a basket that already held a few dozen other packages and letters even though it was barely nine o´clock.

"Wingardium Leviosa"

The basket rose to the air and spilled its contents onto a table before returning to its place on time to catch another roll of parchment. The spell caster sighed as she went through mail. Ten love letters accompanied with gifts such as chocolates drowned in potions and cursed jewelry, twenty letters begging for legal assistance and another ten from home.

She smirked to herself, at least the written marriage proposals would cease seeing as that newly passed law put a stop to that. Some had been by either aristocrats that believed marrying her was a birthright, or by the heads of wealthy families that hoped to marry off their sons seeing as her bride price would be substantially high.

Either way, just the fact that everyone would finally cease asking and nagging her about the subject of marriage was enough to make her future husband attractive without even knowing who the lucky man was. Of course like any other witch she did have expectations, but if it turned out to be a worst case scenario she at least didn´t have to worry about his finances.

Turning her sight to the table after vanishing the trash that had mounted over it, a single envelope remained. There were barely any other insignias she recognized better than those of the Ministry, which led to her hand snatching said envelope in a reflex that was faster than her own thoughts. Before she knew it, the envelope was in tatters and a bundle of parchment remained.

* * *

><p><strong>Attention! This is a pre-printed missive sent by the ministry of magic! All that is written below remains with the same authority as a letter signed by an employee of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!<strong>

**Dear Sir or Madam,**

**By reading this letter you formally accept the conditions named in the following pages concerning the effects of the Marriage Law as decided by the Wizengamot in session number...e.t.c**

**Do not be alarmed by the glowing of either your hands or hair as you become bound by magic to this law, the consequences of breaking this bond are explained in page 7. When the effect ceases, please place your hand on the last page which shall make the name and other substantial information concerning your future husband or wife appear. **

**Last but not least, we congratulate you to your match and wish you all the best in your impending matrimony.**

**Best Regards,**

**The Ministry of Magic**


	5. Old Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She smirked

_He smirked_

She immediately threw page by page of the stack to the side before reaching the blank page at the back.

_He carefully read through each page, placing them on top of each other as he progressed through the largely typed and ostentatiously decorated legal mishmash._

She reread the instructions twice, her momentary madness muddling all her thoughts.

_He barely changed his pace whilst reaching the pleasantly blank page, already weeks ago he had been informed of the law, so although he was curious as to who was his bride to be it did not matter in the end. If she was any similar to his last wife, one of his vaults at Gringotts would be sufficient._

"Acto…

"…_Revelum"_

She shakingly placed her hand on the page, watching impatiently as the particulars appeared in a crisscross of ink lines that formed the words random. The name though, ironically appearing last.

_He steadily placed his hand on the page, only letting go when he stopped feeling the slight tingling caused by the moving ink._

"Lucius…

"…_Mirowska" _

She stared, her eyes disbelieving. It surely had to be a mistake! How could one of the most wanted bachelors in England be her fiancé?! Her boss would die of laughter, seeing as his best friend was going to be her stepson! Oh god! A grown up stepson with twenty seven!

_No reaction came forth as he read the name at the very bottom. He himself knew not what to think. Still, the feeling of amusement dominated his thoughts. When looking at his past, one might have thought the Ministry would have at least reassigned a few dozen witches to make sure he ended up with a hag, yet here he was to marry a princess…_

Before she had found out whom he was, she had been fully ready to immediately send an owl to the beau. Yet now the parchment and ink seemed useless, the already partially prepared sentences in her mind having disappeared, her mind still in shock as she walked around the room.

_He immediately started to write a letter addressed to Rosemary Alley, well, write was an exaggeration. Having weeks ago prepared the quite formal message all he had to do was write her name at the beginning and sign his own at the end._

Her musings were interrupted by the thump of a package landing on the basket just as she passed by it for the twentieth time. She knelt down and watched it for a few moments, yet nothing seemed to show the identity of the sender. Finally overcome with curiosity she took it on her lap and rapidly unwrapped the package.

_He wondered how the robes would look on her. He had never planned on sending them in the first place seeing as this was everything but a normal courtship. But as Narcissa had ever so politely pointed out, the poor witch that was going to end up with him should at least be able to say that he had paid every possible attention one might have normally expected._

The robes were so magnificent she almost forgot to check them with the obligatory revealing spells. Of course she had worn robes of similar quality before but never had she been allowed to keep them. Most had been kept for generations and were family heirlooms, too precious to risk damage. Whilst standing up she almost didn´t notice the clonk of an object falling to the floor being too eager to try the robes on.

_The distinct sound of an elf apparating reached his ears and repeated itself before he could react. Looking around he saw it had delivered a package, unwrapping it he saw it was a cloak and inside it was a letter and a key. When reading it his suspicions were confirmed, causing him to smile._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Miss Mirowska, <strong>_

_**This letter I hope, although it may seem abrupt or hurried seeing as not even a few hours have passed before I began to seek out the contact with your person, will be the first of the many instances that shall prove my good intentions. **_

_**Establishing that, would it be possible to arrange a meeting as soon as possible? I do confess my motivations are partially driven by curiosity, but I also see it as prudent that such an abrupt changing of both our lives be dealt with as soon as possible.**_

_**Along with this letter I have sent along a set of robes and a key. Would it be too presumptuous of me to request your wearing of the former as means of recogntion? If yes, I wish to recompense your insecurities with the latter. Your suspicions may be confirmed as the key does happen to be the one I use for my main Gringotts vault.**_

_**After presenting my case, I ask for a reply as soon as possible, and if it may not be too much, a time and place?**_

_**Best Regards,**_

_**Lucius Malfoy**_

* * *

><p><strong>Mr Malfoy,<strong>

**Nothing could have rendered me insecure by receiving such a well meant and prompt message. In fact, I myself had been in musings on how to begin my own, but even before my quill touched the parchment I received a perfectly formulated letter that completely reflected my own thoughts.**

**Adding to that, you have already bestowed me with an unearned and unexpected gift along with a token establishing the beginnings of a form of trust. Do forgive me but without hesitation I had to return the favor with my own. Along with this letter, you should have found a cloak and a key to my own Gringotts vault. Do consider my obvious copying of your actions as more of a compliment to your person than the discrediting of my own as I seek to follow your suggestions without amiss.**

**To be exact, at two in the afternoon you shall find me waiting in the entry area of Gringotts Bank at Diagon Alley wearing a rather lovely dark blue set of winter robes.**

**Best and foremost Regards,**

**Anna Mirowska**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Wowsers I´m on a roll! Chapter after Chapter, the next one´s nearly ready too, somehow the fact that this story was over a year in my unconscious along with me reading so many fanfics must have paid off! Plot development is progressing so quickly I´m scared! On that note, don´t be shy to review as it really does wonders ;)  
><strong>


	6. Old Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Like most of the rooms at Gringotts, the Atrium was a rather cold place. Whether it was a reference to the colder relations in between wizards and goblins or just an unimportant consequence of the heavy use of marble one did not know. But even the existence of warming charms kept the larger crowds away at winter.

There on the side of the atrium and on one of the rarely used marble benches sat his future wife. True, it wasn´t the most romantic setting for a first but then again those pleasantries had been roughly set aside by law…

"Anna?" She looked up, their eyes meeting steadily, hers friendly his own neutral.

"Lucius, there you are!" She patted her hand on the bench and partially turned to his direction as he sat down, seemingly unfazed by the coldness of the room along with the seat. Silence reigned in between them as both were unsure what to say.

Finally he spoke, "I must say the robes fit you exceedingly well" he didn´t even have to lie, even if they were a bit modest. The color matched her pale skin forming a pleasant view, maybe this law wasn´t so bad after all.

"Likewise for the cloak" Silence retook its place before his curiosity overcame him.

"Before we continue any further with pleasantries I would like to confess, that I do not exactly know what is so tempting about this establishment that you want to immortalize it as the first place we ever met."

She smiled, and before he could react she took the hand that wasn´t holding his cane and methodically took off the glove. Taking his hand in one of hers he suddenly became aware of a sensation that made him completely overhear whatever she said next. It was as if his mind had been tricked, she was only touching his hand yet he would bet half his fortune (although it would still leave him with more than some states had) that the feeling of warmth was coming from within him, heck he would never be able to use a warming spell again, they felt like a little caress compared this.

It wasn´t till he felt the sensation being replaced with the silky feel of metal did he even hear a word. Looking down he saw his key in his hand whilst she proudly held up the very same one he was sure he had placed well out of her reach.

"How…?" Her smile revealed she knew very well he had been distracted.

"Did you not listen at all Lucius? I forgot that English wizards weren´t used to that sensation."

She smiled again, before finally taking pity on him and explaining that he had fallen victim to a few tricks caused by blood magic. The first a warming spell meant for distraction and the second a switching spell to retrieve her key. He was so astounded that whatever formal stiffness that had formed a fort at the beginning melted away. Like the muggle said, she had literally broken the ice.


	7. Old Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After only an hour they had left Gringotts. The goblins had took them to their respective vaults in record time. Lucius found his future bride to be refreshingly direct, clearly explaining and showing to him that a vault in her name as was custom for Malfoy wives, was completely unnecessary.

"What do we do now Lucius?" He shrugged, seemingly distracted by his surroundings as today there were only couples. Young and old, happy and sad, holding hands or not, everything he knew would be part of the spectrum of results from the law was visible. Well, till a spree of flashes momentarily blinded him.

"Mr Malfoy! Mr Malfoy!"

There she stood, Rita Skeeter, the literally most notorious reporter of the British Isles. Next to her, half a dozen photographers taking shot after shot of the couple. He apparently would never be rid of her, after all the most rotten voices were always the loudest…

"Mr Malfoy!" She repeated, desperately trying to get his attention as he whispered to Anna not to say a word. Finally his eyes met those of the predator, casting his most charming smile he replied.

"Ah the ever lovely Miss Skeeter, what a surprise to meet you today!"

"A surprise? How that Mr Malfoy?"

"Well, I would have thought that today of all days you would be getting to know your fiancé by now."

The photographers sniggered, her own fake smile disappearing for a second as she realized it had been a sharp poke directed at her age. Upon directing her sight at Anna she began anew.

"_Speaking_ of fiancés, does _this_ young lady happen to be yours?"

Her tone was almost disdainful as she perceived Anna. Her quill scrawling along at record speed as she absorbed every single little detail whilst adding her own disdainful thoughts. Before he could answer the warm sensation had come back, with surprise he noted that this time she didn´t even need to touch his bare skin. Her left hand lightly touching his back where the photographers couldn´t see.

"Yes Miss Skeeter, Lucius is my fiancé." Like a viper she sprung at the offered tidbit.

"Ah, and how does it feel to know you shall be the new Lady Malfoy? Shall the lifestyle be terribly different than from that you knew till today? Speaking of that, tell us a bit about your family will you?"

"Madam, to confess, I do not really expect such a large change at all. Surely it is an honour and a privilege, but so are my other titles." At this the quill immediately stopped writing, repeatedly scratching across the notepad as all thoughts a and ideas Skeeter had had came to a screeching halt at that revelation.

"Other…titles?"

Anna let go of Lucius and he understood it was his moment. "Why yes Miss Skeeter, do you not recognize her from the many diplomat balls that you have so conscientiously written articles about these last few years?"

Rita shook her head, desperately trying to recognize anything on the lady´s appearance that gave a hint to the country, only when she saw the Malfoy insignia at the bottom of the robes did she finally accept defeat.

"I am afraid not, you know these balls Mr Malfoy, so many guests to keep track of….."

With a smile he turned to the photographers, pushing Anna two steps towards them, she timidly faced the flashes as Rita stood to the side, annoyingly watching the couple.

"I present to you, members of the press. Her Royal Highness, Anna Mirowska, sister to the future monarch of…"

He didn´t even finish his sentence, not that he had to, seeing as the photographers started making pictures like mad and Rita was shouting one question after the other. After a few minutes of humouring them though, did he decide it was time to leave, and without further ado, he snatched his future bride and after a slight warning apparated them away from the Alley.

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><p><strong>AN: Hi! I am so sorry it took so long! Urgh internet has been week and I was distracted by my very own Lucius..., well, not really, he´s more of a mix of Diggory Jr. and Snape *sigh* Handsome and direct like one, yet quiet and thoughtful like the other, okay enough of my babbling. **

**Also I´ve been working out the plot, since I realize like 50%-ish of this will be OC seeing as I´ll be presenting you what I imagine it would be back at home, but the main conflict is as canon as I hope to make it, I hope you´ll enjoy this story as much as I´ll be enjoying writing it! :D**


	8. Old Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Squiggles had always been a very good elf. He and countless of his ancestors had proudly served the Malfoy famiy for centuries. From banquets starting with five hundred guests to weddings that lasted for weeks, the little elf thought he had seen it all. But the arrival of just one miss still left an impression upon him for quite a while.

She seemed eternally distracted, jumping around trying to catch a "Knaspie" but only grasping thin air. The young master seemed annoyed, but not angry at the lack of decorum the misses displayed whilst happily proclaiming that the Manor was so perfectly desolate that there was bound to be a nest of them somewhere. Of all things preposterous, to claim there was a nest of whatever Knaspies were inside this well kept home? Squiggles disapprovingly shook his head and left the room with a pop.

"I grew up in here Luna, in opposite to what you and your friends may assume, this Manor wasn t always destined to be Death Eater Headquarters.."

"Draco you silly goose, didn't you listen at all when I told you what Knaspies are? I said desolate and not drowning in black magic! If that would be the case I'd be looking for Kremplins which happen.."

Draco sighed in response, blatantly ignoring the rest of her speech, seeing as they were going to be bound to each other for the rest of their lives he had more than enough time to learn about those "utterly fascinating" creatures. Just the fact that his children were going to be the heirs of the Quibbler made him shudder. Of all the witches in the nation!

So his thoughts may have continued if they hadn't been interrupted by the echo of a loud gong. "What was that?" Luna asked, completely stopping her hunting as if the sound had chased off the creatures beyond her reach. "It's meant to inform us that father has arrived home, presumably with my future stepmom."

"Aren't we going to greet them?" Draco rolled his eyes, "If father needs me he'll call for me. I have no need to exactly know which lucky golddigger my father is condemned to marry." "Well I do" With that she grabbed his hand and led him through the corridors whilst ignoring Draco s remarks that they were heading in the wrong direction. "The Knaspies like being around humans, I know where they went."

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><p>Whilst polishing a set of crystal glasses on display in one of the Manor's many sitting rooms a few minutes later, the little elf was coincidentally joined by the Master of the house who led another misses into the room. The little elf happily but discreetly observed the two talk. Being a good elf though, he ignored the subject of conversation, occasionally though he heard mismatched words such as "Gringotts" or "Rita", yet didn't even attempt to bring sense into them.<p>

The second miss seemed to have everything the first one had lacked, at least from the view of the elf. She sat with her back straight, spoke with an excellent vocabulary, her voice gently alluring...all in all, a lady "worthy" of being a guest of the Manor. Looking down though he noticed something unusual on her robes, and then it came to him.

"The misses is wearing the family insignia!"

Both looked to the elf that stood on a little stool in front of a cupboard filled with crystal glasses. One handkerchief covered hand shamelessly but shakingly pointing at the insignia at the bottom of her robes, the other now holding empty air, the glass long shattered. On the questioning look his fiancé sent him, Lucius replied.

"Yes Squiggles, Miss Anna here will soon be the new mistress of the Manor."

With a sudden pop, the pieces of crystal disappeared as the elf stared in shock.

"Mistress?"

"Yes, Squiggles, Mistress" The little creature failed to comprehend, being sure nothing close to a courtship had ever been talked of in the Manor. Where was the protocol? The proud process of courtship this house was infamous for? This was too much, the creature disapparated to a far corner of the Manor without a word.

"The poor thing, it seemed a whole world view shattered for him."

"Well, I am not surprised, the last time the Ministry arranged marriages was in 1667."

Again they were interrupted by what sounded like loud arguing behind the doors they had closed just minutes before.

"I'm telling you! He's in his study! Merlin can't you..."

The door opened, making way for two blondes. One was smiling as she looked at the occupants that had confirmed her suspicions, the other stunned to silence.

"Oh, so that's why all the Knaspies are here."

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! I know I was gone for quite a while, for which I apologise, but here's another chappie, I know what I wanna do with this plot, I'm just lazy to write it out so bear with me please!**


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